Carynn Olsen
Project Manager
Carynn* comes to Great Minds Schools with over 12 years of nonprofit leadership experience and more than 20 years in project management. After receiving her bachelor of fine arts from the Illinois Institute of Art, Carynn spent four years designing commercial office spaces for a real estate firm in Chicago. She later entered the nonprofit sector, putting her creativity and project management skills to work as director of programs for Girls on the Run-Chicago, supporting their strategy, growth, and operational goals.
Carynn currently serves as the fundraising committee chair on the board of directors for Friends of Wildcats Softball, a nonprofit that supports her local high school softball program.
Outside of her professional and volunteer work, Carynn enjoys spending time with her husband, Tom, her daughters, Josephine and Finnley, and her three canine fur babies, Chloe, Willow, and Piper. She and Tom spend many hours spectating at softball games (Finn plays high school and travel softball) and walking their pups. Carynn also enjoys puns, watching comedies, reading, and participating in triathlons. She’ll be completing her first Olympic-distance triathlon in July 2022.
*Fun fact: Carynn is pronounced Kuh-RIN!